A pandemic is unique among disasters. It could happen in 5,000 different communities around the world at the same time, and no central place can manage all of those difficulties, and so local communities need...

A pandemic is different than any other disaster that we’ve ever managed.

If you’re a bird, it’s a pandemic. If you’re a human being, it’s not.

Avian flu or H5N1 is still primarily a disease among animals, … Human deaths have been almost exclusively among humans who came into contact with infected birds. The virus has not shown itself to be...

One million people took the time to learn their options and actually make a decision. And more are coming every day.

[Kennedy asked about reports that the administration planned deep cuts in Medicaid and Medicare and] whether we’re going to be squeezing and denying health benefits. … It’s always been my belief that we can expand...

The manufacturers simply refuse to make it if they haven’t got some protection, so that’s part of the president’s plan to provide that type of liability protection,

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our fellow Americans who have been affected by this hurricane, … Recovery will take time, and the road ahead will not be easy. But all of us...

There needs to be some heads that roll at the International Olympic Committee. They need to be expelled.

The incentives in our health care system are just wrong ? wrong for providers, wrong for payers, wrong for patients, … Providers get paid on the basis of the quantity of the care they provide,...

The only thing certain about [a] virus is uncertainty, and it can attack different populations and people.

FDA made their commitment to me and I made my commitment to the senators, … The commitment was they would act. They did.

One of the bitter ironies of this to me, this whole thing, is that we were so fundamentally superior in our bid to anyone else in the world that everyone knew we were going to...

The impact is on mainstream retailers, … This is an issue of basic fairness. Why should one group of consumers … be treated differently than others? It’s both illogical and difficult for remote sellers to...

We have no alternative but to prepare. If we don’t, medical centers will be overwhelmed, schools will close, and there will be a loss of workers in certain areas.

Pandemics are global in nature, but their effects are always local.

I share with you the view that the agency needs permanent leadership,

We may be the first generation in human history with the ability to do something in advance of this.

Scientists properly worry that it may mutate in a way that will allow it to become transmissible among people.

[Scientists believe bird flu] will migrate or mutate slowly toward the type of flu that can be transmitted from person to person, … We would not be ready if it were to happen instantly.

It’s very difficult to know what went on in the Superdome because reports were so widespread and varied … The health community was moving rapidly and successfully in being able to establish centers for health...

This didn’t start in Salt Lake, … the beginning of a new history.

It will require a measured response on all of our parts if this continues to occur, as it inevitably will,

We’re overdue for a pandemic and under-prepared.

We know what happened here wasn’t right, and we are setting it right. Olympic corruption did not start here, but it must end here.

If this should happen in a small village in Thailand, we need to know about it as soon as possible,

Could you please explain to us why the Katrina evacuees do not deserve the same assistance provided the people of New York,

This laboratory test is a major step forward in our ability to more quickly detect cases of H5 avian influenza and provides additional safeguards to protect public health.

I will do all I can to see that it occurs, and it’s my sense that it will happen soon.

The public, … has not until recently found this to be a compelling issue.

We have committed to fix every problem as quickly as possible.

This is a critical part of the plan,

The health care needs in the region are immense, and we are working as quickly as we can to get the medical care and supplies to the people who so desperately need them, … These...

If there’s anything credible found of any of these rumors, they will be fully, publicly and quickly disclosed,

[The assurance of a decision by Sept. 1 came in a letter from Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), chairman of the committee that voted to endorse Crawford’s appointment.]...

People of Oregon will have to come to the help of people of Oregon.

We’re not as well-prepared today as we want to be, … We’re better prepared than we were yesterday, and we’ll continue to get better prepared every day as time goes forward.

While there may be short term costs to us individually or collectively, the burden of being secretive and lacking transparency would be catastrophic,

Providing healthcare professionals and patients with clear and concise information about prescriptions will help ensure safe and optimal use of drugs, which translates into better health outcomes for patients and more efficient delivery of healthcare.

The International Olympic Committee has given me their personal assurance that they will be willing to work together to make sure these Games are successful, … Another option is for us to rework or resize...

Some of the insurance plans did not properly anticipate the level of service that would be required on this group, and were understaffed. We have worked with the plans to make sure those staffing levels...

The threat of pandemic flu is an urgent health challenge,

These approvals will now allow those infected with HIV more access to these life-saving drugs within our country.

We have all been touched by this tragedy and profound sadness, grief and anger are normal reactions that many people may experience, … We want people to know that we have a nationwide team of...

Every community is different and requires a different approach,

President Bush is releasing this emergency energy assistance to help children, families and communities throughout the Gulf region in their urgent time of need.

No one on this board knew what was going on,

[The United States is unprepared for the next flu pandemic, lacking the manufacturing capacity to provide 300 million doses of a vaccine for three to five more years, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt...

The problem with a pandemic is, anything you say before it sounds alarmist. There is a dilemma here. Pandemics happen. They don’t happen frequently enough that we live in fear day to day, but they...

We will use the full array of administrative tools to ensure that the plans live up to the terms of their contract. Further, we would expect that poor performing plans would likely not be participating...